1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a photographing apparatus which can be connected to a network system, in which a plurality of computers (e.g., personal computers which may be abbreviated as PCs) are connected to the network, and to such a network system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A network system, in which a plurality of computers are connected to the network, allows the software sources included in that network to be shared by the connected computers, and information to be exchanged as sources by e-mail. The hardware sources, including data storage media, such as the hard discs of other PCs connected to this network, and the peripheral apparatuses, such as printers and modems, can also be shared by one another. Since the performance of each computer can be enhanced via the network, in addition that the computer itself is becoming more user-friendly, the network system is rapidly spreading.
On the other hand, digital cameras have also been becoming popular because they do not require development of the films. A digital camera photoelectrically converts the optical image of an object into digital image data by charge coupled devices (CCD). The digital image data is recorded in a recording medium, such as a memory card. The recorded image is reproduced by predetermined manipulations, and is displayed on the display panel of the digital camera. The recorded image can also be deleted, or copied into PCs. Such Digital cameras are being widely used as peripheral apparatuses of PCs, and the functions of each type of digital camera are rapidly progressing.
If a digital camera is incorporated in the above-described network system, the digital camera will be able to use the sources of the network system, and the dimensions of the network media will be enlarged.
Although the recorded images of the conventional digital camera can be copied into a computer (PC) by manipulations on the PC side, the main purposes reside in merely storing and reproducing the recorded images in the PC. In other words, the conventional digital camera is no more than one of the external apparatuses of the PC, and little technological consideration has been made to active use of the network sources.
In order to incorporate the conventional digital camera into a network system, special performances and functions must be added. In this case, the power consumption, as well as the size of the digital camera, inevitably increases. In the present circumstances, it is difficult to incorporate a digital camera into a network system to allow mutual interaction with other apparatuses in the network without extra cost and functions.